World War Two Explained: The Key Battles and Dates

Dan Snow flies on a mission to explore one of the most daring and dangerous aerial attacks of World War II. On 11th November 1940, 21 antiquated Swordfish aircraft took off from the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious. They were embarking on one of the most extraordinary raids of the Second World War, 'Operation Judgement', the assault on the Italian Fleet in the well-defended harbour at Taranto. It was a mission that would make history. In this film, Dan Snow takes to the air in the only Swordfish still flying - the aircraft operated by the Navy Wings Heritage Flight. Riding in the back of this remarkable bi-plane, he explores the story of Taranto as torpedo bombers just like this braved a hail of fire to drive home the attack. And back on the ground, Dan explores the archives of the Fleet Air Arm Museum, uncovering items from Taranto, including a battered 1940 diary that gives a vivid eyewitness account. Items like this, and a recorded interview with veteran Alfie Sutton, bring us face to face with the life and death

Just how brutal was the Soviet Advance on Berlin? Dan Snow and military historian Sir Antony Beevor present the gripping account of the Battle of Berlin, the final, bloody chapter of World War Two in Europe. The pair discuss Joseph Stalin's secret plan to seize the city and its nuclear secrets while deceiving his Western Allies. From the colossal artillery battle at the Seelow Heights to the brutal street fighting in the city, this is the definitive story of the Third Reich's collapse. You can now become a History Hit member right here on the original video platform! Join for access to a new exclusive documentary every week, and access to over 160+ of our documentaries presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Eleanor Janega, Tristan Hughes, Mary Beard, Matt Lewis and more.

Join Historian Dan Snow as he answers the most googled questions about the American War of Independence: You can now become a History Hit member right here on the original video platform! Join for access to a new exclusive documentary every week, and access to over 160+ of our documentaries presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Eleanor Janega, Tristan Hughes, Mary Beard, Matt Lewis and more.

Historian Dan Snow reviews some of his favourite World War Two movies from the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s. Dan begins with a review of 'Guns of Navarone' (1961), starring Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn and David Niven, and analyses the accuracy of British commandos using disguises on missions during the Second World War. He also sheds light on the Dodecanese Campaign, a relatively unknown Mediterranean theatre of the conflict which proved to be Hitler's last great strategic victory in 1943. Dan moves onto the cult classic that is 'Das Boot' (1981). One of the first World War Two movies to show submarine warfare with gritty realism, Das Boot has been praised for its historical accuracy and ability to allow audiences to empathise with soldiers from the wrong side of an inglorious war. Dan delves into the filmmaking process, which involved rebuilding the interior of a real U-96, and the history behind this aspect of naval warfare in the Atlantic during World War Two. Next up is one of the most famous World War Two movies of all time - 'The

Military historian Dan Snow MBE reviews the evolution of warfare over the course of 250 years depicted in historical movies. Spanning from the late-18th to early-21st Century, Dan charts the development of battle tactics and strategy, as well as the rapid evolution of weapons technology which have transformed the battlefield. In the second episode, starting of with Fury (2014) starring Bard Pitt and Shia LaBoeuf, Dan explains how the concept of a pitched battle was made obsolete by the introduction of armoured vehicles, more specifically, tanks. Although tanks had been introduced in the latter years of the First World War, it was only in the Second World War that they became integral to the strategies of Allied and Axis armies. Two of the most iconic tanks from the conflict are seen in this scene from Fury, the German Tiger Tank and US M4 Sherman. Dan assesses the pro and cons of each tank and analyses how they were used in World War Two. Moving on two decades from the Second World War to the Vietnam War, depicted in Casualties of

Military historian Dan Snow MBE reviews the evolution of warfare over the course of 250 years depicted in historical movies. Spanning from the late-18th to early-21st Century, Dan charts the development of battle tactics and strategy, as well as the rapid evolution of weapons technology which have transformed the battlefield. In the first episode, starting of with The Patriot (2000), Dan comments on the use of columns of infantry advancing slowly toward the enemy musket volleys in the American War of Independence from 1775 to 1783 - a battlefield strategy that seems almost archaic to us now. He also details the early forms of guerilla warfare seen in the American Revolutionary War, that were used to chip away at British morale. Moving on over half a century later in Glory (1989) - a film starring Denzel Washington, Matthew Broderick and Samuel L. Jackson depicting the horrors of the American Civil War from 1861 to 1865 - Dan notes how battlefield strategy, such as that seen at the Battle of Antietam in 1862, had barely changed from that seen several decades